135. The fact that young Japanese women are using less deferential language is a sure sign of change—of social change and of linguistic change.
譯文
年輕的日本女性越來越少地使用敬語,這一事實無疑是社會變化和語言變化的征兆。
點睛
本句的主干是The fact...is a...sign...。that young Japanese women are using less deferential language是同位語從句,用來進一步解釋說明fact;of social change and of linguistic change是兩個名詞短語作同位語,用來解釋說明破折號前面的change。
deferential的意思是“順從的,恭敬的”。如:
He was slightly built, shy, deferential almost, with nothing in his dress to distinguish him from his workmen. 他身材瘦小,有些靦腆,對大家?guī)缀跏钱吂М吘?,從衣著上絲毫看不出他與他的工人們有什么不同。
deferential language的意思是“敬語”。
考點歸納
symbol、sign和signal三詞辨析。
這三個詞均含有“標(biāo)志,象征;符號”之意。
symbol指作象征或表達某種深邃意蘊的特殊事物。如:
Green is the symbol of life. 綠色是生命的象征。
sign是普通用詞,指人們公認(rèn)的事物的記號,也可指某種情況的征兆。如:
Dark clouds are a sign of rain. 烏云是下雨的征兆。
signal指為某一目的而有意發(fā)出的信號。如:
A red light is a stop signal. 紅燈是停止前行的信號。